Moments after the Naxal strike in Sukma district, Congress party has accused the Centre of having failed to control Left-wing extremism with its “aimless” policy on national security which had created disquiet internally and on the borders, and said the latest Maoist attack on a CRPF team exposed the government’s hollow claims on ending Naxalism.

The Congress also described the attack on the CRPF in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma as a mindless and ruthless strike on security forces by the ultras and expressed solidarity with the families of those killed, while hoping that the injured would soon recover.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala recalled a gruesome attack in Sukma last year in which 26 CRPF personnel were killed and said the BJP government had not learnt any lessons from the 2017 ambush.

“Endangering India’s national security is a direct consequence of the Modi government’s aimless, irresolute and inconsistent polices.

Modi had sold the ‘national security’ plank hard to attain power, but in the past four years, we have only witnessed a precarious security situation in the country,” he said in a statement.

Surjewala said ceasefire violations from across the border, cross-border infiltration, terror attacks on security installations and Naxal attacks in the states had increased under the BJP.

“Hollow claims, sloganeering and drafting acronyms for propaganda cannot be a substitute to sound policy measures.

Rhetoric and headline management only exacerbate the situation and endanger our people,” he said. Surjewala said after demonetisation, Modi had made “boastful” claims of ending terrorism and Naxalism.

“But the facts tell a different story,” he said.

After the ban on high currency notes, there were 23 major Naxalite attacks in which 97 security personnel and 121 civilians were killed, he said, adding that post-demonetisation, 53 major terror incidents had taken place in Jammu and Kashmir alone, in which 99 security personnel and 64 civilians were killed.

The overall picture on Naxal attacks in the past three years exposed the “tall claims” made by Modi and the BJP government, he said.

According to figures provided in the Lok Sabha, there have been 122 violent attacks this year and 14 jawans and 12 civilians have been killed.

In the last four years of the Congress-led UPA government, causalities in Naxalite attacks had reduced by more than half, he claimed.

The Congress also attacked the BJP government in Chhattisgarh and said it had done “nothing concrete” so far.

In the last 14 years and 95 days, the Raman Singh-led BJP government in the state had failed “miserably” on the internal security front.

The BJP government at the Centre and state had been “totally lax and dismal” in terms of policy or in strategically dealing with Naxalism.

“The complete laxity and inability of the Chhattisgarh government in fighting Naxalism stood exposed,” he said.

Surjewala said BJP president Amit Shah who had last year started the party’s expansion plan from Naxalbari should instead have planned how to tackle Naxalism with the prime minister.

“Do we have any accountability mechanism for those who are in power for 14 years, and have completely failed to tackle this scourge of Naxalism,” he asked.

“Every time there is a Naxal attack, the chief minister promises some tough action, but nothing concrete has been done to stop these attacks,” he said.

Steeping up the attack further, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that the incident “reflects a deteriorating internal security due to flawed policies.”

The Maoist attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh in which 9 CRPF jawans lost their lives is tragic. It reflects a deteriorating internal security situation due to flawed policies.

My condolences to the families of those killed. To those who have been injured, I wish a speedy recovery.